Learning consultant vs development specialist

The differences between learning consultants and development specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a learning consultant and a development specialist. Additionally, a learning consultant has an average salary of $79,585, which is higher than the $60,344 average annual salary of a development specialist.

The top three skills for a learning consultant include instructional design, project management and customer service. The most important skills for a development specialist are customer service, customer satisfaction, and professional development.

Learning consultant vs development specialist overview

	Learning Consultant	Development Specialist
Yearly salary	$79,585	$60,344
Hourly rate	$38.26	$29.01
Growth rate	8%	8%
Number of jobs	46,748	97,188
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 69%	Bachelor's Degree, 66%
Average age	44	44
Years of experience	4	4

What does a learning consultant do?

Learning consultants are professionals who act as a link between companies, their corporate training products, and their audience. Their typical job includes providing support during and after the sales process, participating in conference calls, meetings, and product demonstrations, and assisting with the implementation of a learning management system (LMS). A learning consultant is also responsible for making course recommendations based on the client's goals and needs and evaluating the effectiveness of training programs, along with suggesting improvements.

What does a development specialist do?

A development specialist is responsible for monitoring career training and programs for the employees, improving their capabilities and maximum potential to contribute to the company's growth and success. Development specialists also assist in assessing departmental operations, evaluating training needs, and facilitate skill development discussions and exercises. A development specialist helps identify business opportunities to generate more revenues for the organization and improve profitability status. A development specialist must have excellent communication and organization skills and comprehensive knowledge of human management to assist employees with their inquiries and concerns.

Learning consultant vs development specialist salary

Learning consultants and development specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Learning Consultant	Development Specialist
Average salary	$79,585	$60,344
Salary range	Between $64,000 And $97,000	Between $37,000 And $96,000
Highest paying City	Washington, DC	Edison, NJ
Highest paying state	New Jersey	New Jersey
Best paying company	Meta	Ropes & Gray
Best paying industry	Insurance	-

Differences between learning consultant and development specialist education

There are a few differences between a learning consultant and a development specialist in terms of educational background:

	Learning Consultant	Development Specialist
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 69%	Bachelor's Degree, 66%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania

Learning consultant vs development specialist demographics

Here are the differences between learning consultants' and development specialists' demographics:

	Learning Consultant	Development Specialist
Average age	44	44
Gender ratio	Male, 38.2% Female, 61.8%	Male, 40.5% Female, 59.5%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 10.4% Unknown, 6.5% Hispanic or Latino, 14.9% Asian, 6.5% White, 61.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%	Black or African American, 10.4% Unknown, 6.3% Hispanic or Latino, 16.7% Asian, 5.8% White, 60.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage	12%	12%

Differences between learning consultant and development specialist duties and responsibilities

Learning consultant example responsibilities.

Manage intranet sites, using Dreamweaver, for accessing e-Learning courses.
Lead experiential learning in supervisory skills, conflict management, leadership, team building and organization process effectiveness.
Collaborate with SMEs to develop training material that meets the needs of the organization.
Analyze needs, design, develop and deliver courses using ADDIE and ISD processes.
Create instructor guides, participant guides, storyboards, activity handouts, and PowerPoint presentations.
Develop user friendly e-Learning materials using the ADDIE methodology that is currently being used by employees.

Development specialist example responsibilities.

Manage RFP and contracting process.
Manage a comprehensive caseload and keep accurate count of individuals enroll in WIA program.
Manage complex USDA management information system records for portfolio properties.
Manage alumni and corporate relations and activities and continuous learning education initiatives.
Recruit, manage and motivate volunteers in public education, professional education, service and rehabilitation and tobacco control programs.
Provide educational and recreational programming for young adults with developmental disabilities and neurological disorders, such as autism.

Learning consultant vs development specialist skills

Common learning consultant skills

Instructional Design, 7%
Project Management, 7%
Customer Service, 6%
Learning Solutions, 5%
HR, 4%
PowerPoint, 4%

Common development specialist skills

Customer Service, 8%
Customer Satisfaction, 7%
Professional Development, 6%
Patients, 6%
Excellent Interpersonal, 5%
PowerPoint, 5%

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Learning Consultant vs Development Specialist

Updated January 8, 2025

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